Feed-water heater.



Patentgd Nov. 6, I900. D. B. CUMMING.

FEED WATER HEATER. (Application flied Apr. 16, 1909.

2 Shuts-Shoat I.

(No model.)

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m 1. w W m u No; 66l,042. H Pat ented flov. 6, 1900.]

D.,B. CUMMING.

FEED WAIEH HEATER. (Application med A r. 16, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Shaotg-Shoet 2.

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NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID BRUCE OUMMING, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

FEED-WATER HEATER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters PatentNo. 661,042, dated November6, 1900.

Application filed April 16, 1900.

'[0 all whom it nut/y concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID BRUCE GUMMING, consulting engineer, a subjectof the Queen of Great Britain, residing at No. 16 Brunswick street,Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented a new anduseful 1m.- provement in Feed-Water Heaters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has for its object a compact device for the heating offeedwater which while small in size shall be effective in action andcheap to make. It is especially applicable to steam-boilers.

My device is mainly composed of two castings which may be readily andcheaply made and ofsufficient thickness to withstand the highestpressure of the steam in the boiler to which it is connected.

I am aware that attempts have been made to provide a feed-heater inwhich the feedwater and live steam from the boiler have been commingled;but as far as I am aware these have all failed. One cause of failure hasbeen that the water and steam have been brought into contact whileflowing in opposite directions. This interrupts the flow and causes aserious back pressure and in addition a violent commotion in the vessel.The commotion causes a deal of hammer and noise and the pressure andtemperature Within the vessel vary so much that there is danger ofexplosion, and in addition to this disadvantage an even temperature andflow of feed-water from the apparatus are impossible. According to myinvention the steam enters at or near the top of the heater. Oneadvantage of this lies in the fact that the water and steam after comingin contact travel to gether downward in the same direction, and anotheradvantage is that there is no danger of the steam-inlet becoming chokedwith water in case an unusual quantity should be fed into the vessel.The heated feed-water leaves the Vessel by gravity and flows into thewater-space of the boiler, and the areas of the water-inlet andwater-exit are so arranged that priming is impossible.

My invention comprises a vessel, preferably cylindrical, which in use isfixed at some point adjacent to the boiler and above the level of thewater therein. There are three Serial No. 13,209. (1T0 model.)

openings into this vessel-one, a water-inlet leading from the feed-pumpor other feeding device, such as an injector; the second, a

wvater exit, which leads to the boiler, and the the perforateddiaphragm' into the space around said inner vessel and thence by' thewaterexit to the boiler by gravity. The whole of the interior of thedevice is kept under steam-pressure by means of the steampipehereinbefore referred to. Thus it will be seen that the Water passingthrough my heater is subdivided and in contact with the steam from theboiler and is thereby heated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a feed-water heaterconstructed in accordance with my invention therefor. Fig. 2 is avertical section thereof, as on line w 00 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is across-section taken as on line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar viewto Fig. 2, but showing a modification.

Like numerals refer to corresponding parts.

1 shows the main body of my heater. It is composed of a casting and haswithin it an inner vessel or cylinder 2, which is cast in one piece withit.

3 shows the water-inlet, which opens into said inner vessel and which isin use connected by a pipe with the feed-pump or injector.

4 is the cover of the apparatus, and 5 the steam-inlet, while 6indicates the water-exit.

7 shows an annular space between the inner vessel 2 and outer wall 1.Space 7 is covered by an annular perforated diaphragm 8. In Fig. 2 thisdiaphragm is shown as an integral portion of cover 4, while in Fig. 4 itis shown as a separate plate,which is nipped between main bodyl and saidcover 4.

It is to be understood that bolts or screws are used Where necessarythroughout the construction of my heater to couple up the variousportions thereof. These are of wellknown construction and for the sakeof clearness are omitted from the drawings. Strengthening-webs 9 may belocated as desired.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 lugs 10 are shown, by means of which the heater maybe bolted to a bulkhead or other support.

In Figs. 1 and 3, 11 shows a water-gage, which is used to indicate theamount of water at any time in the outer vessel.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the heater is attached direct to theboiler-shell 12, and in that case the steam-pipe 5 lies entirely withinthe outer casing 1. Ohecle valves are employed, as is usual with feeddevices, to prevent back pressure and form no part of my invention.

It is obvious that my heater may be used to heat the feed-water for twoor more boilers in well-known manner.

I have shown and described the pipe leading from the water-exit aspassing vertically through the boiler'shell, and this is a convenientarrangement. It is, however, immaterial to the action of my apparatus atwhat point it enters the boiler, so long as it discharges below thelevel of the water therein. The heater itself must in all cases belocated above the water-level of the boiler,as the feed passes from itby gravity.

The mode of action is as follows: The feedwater from the pump enters theinlet 3 and rising up the inner cylinder 2 flows over the surface ofdiaphragm S and drops through the holes therein. The live steam from theboiler having free access to the interior of the apparatus fills suchportions of it as are not occupied by water, which latter is thusbrought in intimate contact therewith, so that a free interchange ofheat is insured, some portions of the live steam being condensed andjoining the feed.

It is obvious that if desired the whole of 'my device may be locatedwithin the boiler.

It is essential that the apparatus be placed above the level of thewater in the boiler, as the passage of the feed therefrom is due togravity.

I have fonnd in actual practice that the feed-water issuing from myheater may be heated to a temperature of about 2 below that of the livesteam, and moreover the ap paratus is automatic and practically silentin action.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A feed-water heater consisting of an outer cylindrical vessel, an innercylindrical vessel formed in one therewith, a water-inlet leading intosaid inner vessel, a cover adapted to close them and having as anintegral part thereof an annular perforated diaphragm whereby the Wateris subdivided in passing from one vessel to the other, and an inlet forsteam so arranged that the direction of flow of the inflowing steamcoincides With the direction of flow of the outgoing water,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

DAVID BRUCE CUMMING. lVitnesses:

CHAS. COVENTRY, HERBERT REEVES.

